Presidential aspirant Gwen reaffirms her Senate slate's lineup for upcoming elections
It's Governor Gwendolyn Garcia who's running for senator in the Marcos Jr. administration's election, as seen at the One Cebu rally on May 5, 2025, attended by President Ferdinand Marcos himself in Dumanjug City.
Garcia got into it with Senator Raffy Tulfo, even though he tried to attack her.
Garcia claims Tulfo is related to her, meaning he's Raffy.
The beef between Garcia and Raffy went down when the senator accused Garcia and her team of corrupt practices regarding the payment for services at the Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT) and an inspection that followed.
Tulfo tried to launch a Senate investigation into the CNBT controversy.
During the One Cebu rally, one of the senatorial candidates present was Benhur Abalos. Senator Bong Revilla was represented by his wife, Congresswoman Lani Mercado.
*Note: This event took place in the midst of a dispute over operational standards and jurisdiction at the Cebu North Bus Terminal:
- Tulfo’s Allegations
- Criticized dilapidated buses without fire safety equipment
- Pointed out P200 parking fees for V-hires inside the terminal
- Highlighted malfunctioning facilities, including broken electric fans and pay-to-use restrooms
- Garcia's Rebuttal
- Called the criticisms "uninformed" and "misleading"
- Argued that bus condition regulations fall under LTO/LTFRB jurisdiction, not provincial oversight
- Claimed V-hire fees stem from voluntary operator agreements, while taxis outside CNBT fall under Cebu City’s mandate
- Stated that repairs for worn-out equipment, provided in 2020, are pending audit completion
- Broader Political Context
- Occurs amid Garcia’s separate ongoing legal battle with the Ombudsman over a permit issuance controversy
- Garcia faces a six-month preventive suspension order dated April 23, 2025, but refuses to step down, citing election period suspension rules requiring COMELEC approval.
No direct Senate investigation into CNBT is detailed in available reports, but Tulfo’s public critique functions as de facto scrutiny given his committee oversight roles in transportation and public services. The exchange highlights tensions between local governance authority and national-level political interventions.
- Despite the ongoing dispute over the Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT) controversy, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Senator Raffy Tulfo had an encounter at the One Cebu rally in Dumanjug City on May 5, 2025.
- Tulfo, known for his involvement in policy-and-legislation committees pertaining to transportation and public services, had previously accused Garcia and her team of corrupt practices regarding the CNBT, which included criticisms of dilapidated buses, excessive parking fees, and malfunctioning facilities.
- Garcia, during the same rally, defended her actions, considering the criticisms as uninformed and misleading, and arguing that bus condition regulations fall under the jurisdiction of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), not provincial oversight.
- The exchange between Garcia and Tulfo, taking place amid Garcia’s separate legal battle with the Ombudsman, serves as a demonstration of the tensions between local governance authority and national-level political interventions in the general news.
